LSU Gold

Lewis, Valle Costa Dominate Opening Round

by Chase Wales
NCAA Singles Draw NCAA Doubles Draw +0
Lewis, Valle Costa Dominate Opening Round

ATHENS, Ga. — Freshman Jade Lewis and senior Joana Valle Costa made history for the LSU women’s tennis team at the NCAA Division I Singles Championships, becoming the first pair of teammates to advance to the singles second round by winning their respective first-round matches at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex Wednesday. 

The No. 46-ranked Valle Costa was first on the court for the Tigers in Wednesday’s opening round and shrugged off several rain delays throughout the day to handily defeat Oklahoma’s No. 32-ranked Lily Miyazaki in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2.

The win over Miyazaki was Valle Costa’s highest-ranked victory of the season and her  fifth overall victory against a ranked opponent this season.

After dealing with a few rain delays of her own, the 11th-ranked Lewis’s match was moved indoors where she defeated Duke’s No. 55-ranked Chalena Scholl 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

The SEC Co-Freshman of the Year earned her 11th ranked win of the season with Wednesday’s victory over Scholl and improved to 17-6 in her freshman campaign.

Valle Costa will face Hawaii’s No. 70 Petra Melounova in the round of 32 tomorrow after Melounova upset No. 16 Rachel Pierson of Texas A&M in the round of 64.

Lewis will face Pepperdine’s No. 19 Ashley Lahey in tomorrow’s round of 32 match at 11:30 a.m. CT.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Doubles Championships also begin tomorrow, with the No. 16-ranked pairing of Valle Costa and Ryann Foster set to face off against the No. 51-ranked duo of Melissa Baker and Palina Dubavets of UC Santa Barbara in the opening round at 3 p.m. CT.

For more information on the LSU women’s tennis program follow the Tigers on Twitter @lsuwten and @LSUJuliaSell, on Instagram @LSUWTen and on www.Facebook.com/lsuwten.

NCAA Division I Women’s Singles Championships

Wednesday, May 24 (Round of 64)
1. No. 11 Jade Lewis (LSU) def. No. 55 Chalena Scholl (DUKE) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4
2. No. 46 Joana Valle Costa (LSU) def. No. 32 Lily Miyazaki (OKLA) 6-3, 6-2

Thursday, May 25 (Round of 32)
1. No. 11 Jade Lewis (LSU) vs. No. 19 Ashley Lahey (PEPPERDINE) at 11:30 a.m. CT
2. No. 46 Joana Valle Costa (LSU) vs. No. 70 Petra Melounova (HAWAII) at 8 a.m. CT

NCAA Division I Women’s Doubles Championships

Thursday, May 25 (Round of 32)
1. No. 16 Joana Valle Costa/Ryann Foster (LSU) vs. No. 51 Melissa Baker/Palina Dubavets (UCSB) at 3 p.m. CT